Ventilated packing box and cushioning member therefor



Sept. 9, 1952 s. B. STEVENSON 2,609,956

VENTILATED PACKINQ BOX AND CUSHIONING MEMBER THEREFOR Filed March 26. 1951 Patented Sept. 9, 1952 VENTILATED BACKING BOX AND oUsHIoN- ING MEMBER THEREFOR 9 Samuel B. Stevenson, Pomona, Calif., assignor to F-D-S Manufacturing Company, Inc., Pomona, Calif a corporation of California Application March 26, 1951, Serial No. 217,490

This invention relates to cushions used in the packing of small fruits and similar perishable produce and particularly applies to ventilated fiber cushions used in packing boxes during precooling, shipment, and display of such food stuffs.

In the fruit industry in particular, it is common to store and ship small fruits, especially grapes, in relatively shallow packing boxes commonly termed in some districts as lug boxes. Even with these shallow boxes, losses frequently are excessive, especially where long storage and long shipment are involved. For example, it has not been uncommon for losses of grapes being shipped across the country to run as high as 40 and loss has been very frequent. Fruit cushions of various typeshave been used the bottoms of such packing boxes in an attempt to avoid crushing and other types of spoilagesuch as molding and rotting. Themere provision of a cushion offers very little reduction in spoilage, and even ventilated cushions ordinarily have been so constructed as to reducespoilage to only a very limited extent.

One important object of this invention is to provide a cushion for employment in the handling of highly perishable fresh fruits and the like which may be used in precooling fruit, in storage of the fruit, and in shipment and display thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for a fresh fruit industry a fruit-packing cushion so constructed and ventilated that substantially all spoilage heretofore suffered is avoided.

Another object is to provide a ventilated cushion which will make it easy todischarge sand which adheres to grapes in'sorne areas and loosens and settles'onto the cushionduring packing, itbeing necessary merely to tip the packing box to discharge the settled sand. Anincidental object is to provide for similar discharge of excess moisture which may accumulate on grapes, in districts of high humidity and drain down to the packing cushion; l 1 I i An additional objectis to provide a cushion for the packing of fruits of the indicated character which will also insure a high degree of ventilation to keep the fruit dry; A kindred object is to provide for uniform gas circulation where gassing is employed for the purposeof avoiding molding. This-prevents the common experience of excessivegassing oar-burning of the'upper layersin some of the boxes and undergassing of intermediate. and bottom layers. Also it permits 11 Claims. (01. 217-42 V treating with about one third of the gas normally used, and it is therefore another object of theinvention tolfacilitate and economize gassing op-. erations. With prior. packing cushions it has often been necessary to repack grapestand the: like at various stages to discard the spoilage; and under such conditions it has been necessary to. use new cushions and discard the old ones.

It is therefore a still further object of thein-x vention to provide a ventilated cushion forthe packing of highly perishable fruits such as grapes which will make it possible to use the same cush ion for the initial packing, the subsequent pre-t cooling and storage, and the subsequent shipment and display. It is thus an object of the invention to provide a ventilated cushion which will not require replacement, or make rehandlingofthe fruit necessary, between the time of the original packing and the placing of the fruit on sale. or

display.

An additional object of the invention is to pro.- vide a fruit-packing cushion which will permit quick precooling, will resist tendencies of the fruit to shift in transportation, and will prevent pinch ing and consequent crushing of the fruit at-the ends of the cushion, which is a commonroccurf-t rencel.

Inasmuch as grapes represent a typical perishable fruit, losses of which during storage and shipping due to moldingand crushinghave been high, grapes will commonly be referred to inthis specification as representative, although, as later to be indicated, larger fruits and vegetables such as peaches, tomatoes and small squashes also may be packed on cushions of the present invention with mostsatisfactory results. f

Other objects ofthe invention, and variousxfea tures of construction thereof, will become apparent to those skilledin th art upon reference to the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment :isdisclosed. l

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing of a conventional packing box or luglbox containing'a quantity of grapes packed *upon a ventilated cushion of thisinvention, parts beingwbroke'n away the better to disclose thevarious relations;

Fig. 2 isa perspective view ofua ventilated cushion of this invention; 1

Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical rsectio'naldetail taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; z

Figwi is a similar vertical sectional detailtaken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; ,c

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detailpindis B comprises two end walls l0, side walls [2 which 10 f taining a quantity of grapespackedupon a ventilated cushion C of this inventiohr- The-box are commonly thinner and --loriger than the end" walls [0, and bottom pieces Mwhi'ch span th'rid walls and sometimes are placed to leave sunstantial cracks between them and sometimes are V fitted close together to reduce cracks as much as possible. The upper edges of the end walls-*l'0=*- usually carry horizontally disposed cross pieces I ii'whiclr. ser-veboth ltoi act as hand holds andii'toi spnceratnd support? above the fruit a similarilu'gi box-a Iitmsingi-the: cushion C lot-the presentiin ventio'n, sthezlowen edges: oil the: sidewalls: 'l 2 are elevated abovathel'level of the-upper faceaof tlieP bottom piecesasM- to sprovide ati eachi-iside ran: elongated.JventiIatingJslot r1 I0 approximating? in width vaboutiene. halthfiithe totalhl'ght 'ofi the cushion 'C. T? w The; wentiiated 1 cushion- 0' comprises? 'a ool-r11 gated lowemsheefizn efoi'medr'of relatively heavy paper'orsfibenstock as compared witlia relatively flatzupperlfiberrsh'eet'22. Theucorrugated'asheeti zmprovrdesiartransverse' series: of. parallel fridges 2k andrldownwardlyi.sloping side wa1ls-251which: denn rzbetween tliem' fia series? of: transverse foovesz-mf Thiuppersheetzniisicemented toitheiri'dges-N' amngi attachmentz lines which: have appreciable width, the cementing or pasting material-brill narilsciaccumulatmg attire-two edges of each attachment linealong. each ridge 24 as indicated; an t :Figsss andls; .Thus the" cemented strip iri'dget 24 *has iappre'ciabl'ei'width',:which may-iinwptactice be proportioned somewhat es shomror:possiblyra.littieless.I As'iuustrated tne relatively flat upper sheet 22, when completed; prisentsiea slight: :valley: between eaclr pair of ridges; "hicl'i' valleylis an important .ieatureot dmayflbe termed in any". appro-r pinata-mam 'suclt as thatdescribedmore fully hel'owaz These'valleys areiindicated at 30; Atthe bottonrnfieacn'valley "3 0 aplural'ity oi: vents latihg: holes 32 is punched in a longitudinalseries smloc'ate'd that-water: on sand may work through the holes 32 and fall i'nto' the channels provided bytthetgroovesi 26;: such"v water or sanddrops ontdiithentpreieramy unper'forated'z trcugh wallsatitheibottcmsropthe: groovesgand 'mayibes dis: lotlgedbyztipping:thesbox iB;in:whiclricasevsuch watersomsand 'passeseout through the respectiveventilating slot I6 immediately below the 'low'e'r edge of the respective side wall l2'.

- Irrxzurder 'rto i en'hance *ventilation through 'the holesiflgiit is desirablethat the material being punchedtomroduce the: openings-132m not-en tlrelyl severed bu tb'e leitidependingito form' pro iectiohssoKtonguesfl-w "somewhat asi illustrated Land nso tlrat they' will serve" slightly to obstruct the travel of'ai nor gas throughthe groovesflbi Thetonglresi 35: preferably are disposed in the direction of. theaxesrotltherespective groovesii's, :ratherrthantransversely: thereof, because transverse dispositiontends-toobstruct air oifr'fgasirflow excessively; Theff'object is to4have 'foi th *a frelatively-havyj'smcalled fiber liner or board just enough obstruction to cause proper airflow through the holes 32 such as indicated by the two arrows 36 of Fig. 3 or other appropriate gas travel. However, instead of punching so as to produce a single depending tongue 35, it sometimes will be in order to form a plurality of short depending proje'etions'orltongues 3521' approximately as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. These short tongues 35a will be slightly transverse to the axes of the grooves 25, but, due to their shortness, willnot produce excessive obstruction to air or gas flow.

lntpi'od'i'lc iiig" the ventilated fiber cushion of this invention, the materials employed include or rugated lower sheet 20, for example,

of""="to pound-weight (based on 500 sheets 24 xr-36" )--and commonly known as 9 point paper stock (about 0.009" thickness). The top sheet 22 is produced from a lighter weight stock which is more flexible and much less stiif than the liner stockfor-the: corrugated: sheetrand may bepforv exampla a so -called 30 pound'kraftimae teriaL-(based-fion 500 sheets: 24 x 36 size) ,having a thickness-of about 0.003. In other-words; the: lower corrugated sheet 20 is formed from a sufficiently stiff and rigid material to support satisfactorily a :lugbox full of grapes or similar produce where the corrugations ar about A Wide-between. the. centers of the 'ridges' 24v and between the bottoms of the" troughs 34; withtrough: or corrugation heights of about 75. The kraft sheet or'other material for-theuppen sheet 22. is tough enough to carrythe transmitted loadcarried in the: valleys 30;" It is tobe ap preciate'dthat the materials-mentioned are merely illustrative of appropriate-paper and. paper= board whichmay be employed; and that other-similar stocks of appropriate weights-andstrengths may be used,especiallyas =conditions might vary.

In order :to produce the shallow valleys 30 in. the upper sheet. 22, the upper ridges 24 of the corrugatedsheet ZD-are striped with-anappropriate: cement or other adhesive toa width suchthat. the adhesive material extends a-- shortdistance down the side-ofeach sloping wall 25l of therespective grooves.- The relative width-of these at tachment lines 1 is somewhat exaggerated" in' thedrawings, .but: in :actual practice :where. the ridge:

- centers are spaced about the lines of--ad-' hesivewill approximate- A in width. The top sheet 22 is thenapplied to theridges andpressed down, any excess adhesive workingto the sides of the attachment lines approximately as indi cated at 28 in Figs. 4 and 6. When the adhesive driesf it-pulls-the adjacent portions of the top sheet 22 downward slightly which has theefl'ect'of producing the shallow valleys 30." These valleysonthe ridge :spacing will approximate in practioe ab0u-t 1 5f. This efiectmight. be slightly facilitated by stretching the corrugated sheet 20- slightly during the application of the top sheet 22*, so that the return to normal spacing due to thelimited normal resilienceof thesheet 20' will tend further to produce the shallow-valleys-30' and'also-f-acilitate thedrawin'g down of the portionsof the sheet 22*adjaceht the attachment" li-nesr during dryingr With the structure shown and described. the shallow troughs or v'alleys 30 in the top sheet 22 positively resist-tendenc-ies'of grapes and. similar small articles-ofproduceto I slide endwise' in the box: 3.: Similarly? the ventilation and drainage holes 32" will assist to an I extent in preventing sidewise slippage. suchiholesrr32' normally are r spacedabout oneinch apart; I but this maybe varied according to requirements. The indicated spacing of one inch in the bottoms of the valleys 38 provides for ready discharge of 'sand which is loosened from the grapes during handling or transport. Such spacing also adequately *provides for drainage of condensed moisture when such condensation occurs. The unperforated channel bottoms or' inverted ridge portions 34 provide for complete discharge of accumulated sand 'or water from the grooves 26 through the slotflt at one sideof the boirBupon tipping of the box. order to assure against nesting of grapes at the ends of thebox B with consequent pinching andcrushing, each cushion C is'made about oneinch longer than the box so that about one-half inch of the cushion turnsupat each end as it is'installe'd,approximately as indicated at 22a in Figsbl and i, which preventsadjacent fruits are being gassed,iis likewiseassured. A

similar result occurs when the plurality of short projections or tongues-35a is formed so that they depend into the grooved channels 26 as indicated inFigsGand'l. y a

1 Thus, with the present construction good acirculation is assured by the holes 32 and the depending tongues 35 or 35a, pinching of the grapes at the ends of the packing boxes is avoided, sand cutting also is avoided by reason of the fact that loosenedsand will pass through the holes 32, and

moldingaor rotting due to collection of condensed moisture on the bottoms of :the grapesin the bottomlayer is avoided inasmuch as such condensation,,if excessive, will also ,passthrough the holes 32. If necessary, the top surface of theaupper sheet 22 may be glazed or otherwise slightly waterprcofed to facilitate movement of water of condensation away from thegrapes and downward through the holes 32. Also; the entire cushion might be water-proofed after cementing.

Respecting the previously mentioned use of; cementing material, to form the attachment lines along the tops of the ridges 24,1the cementing material which has proved lJhBIHOSt satisfactory is a water solution of dextrin containing between 70% and 75% water and around to dextrin with any incidental cementing solids which might be desirably used. I have found that too much of the adhesive material itself, for example 40% thereof, does not produce satisfactory valley formation and probably is as objectionable as too much water, such as 90% Water, where using paper materials of the nature heretofore indicated. Similarly, thick pastes are undesirable. It is necessarythat the water content be great enough, in conjunction with the particular glue or other adhesive, to result inthenecessary shrinkage attraction upon drying. Apparently thewater contentof such adhesive is to be such as to satisfy inherent absorptive characteristics of the fiber sheets 20 and 22 while providing good shrinkage characteristics in the applied adhesive material itself.

In applying the adhesive, the thickness of the when the thin, upper sheet 22 is laid on the coated ridges 24, and a satisfactory guide is found in the accumulationof smallbeads of adhesive along the edges of the attachment strips when the upper sheet is pressed down into place, approximately as indicated at 28 in Figs. 4 and 6 and as previouslymentioned. While the dextrin solution of the nature stated has been found commercially satisfactory and economical, other cementing materials which produce analogous results may be used. "Starch has beensuccessfully used accord-' ing "to well known processesyand known water proofing agents also may be employed in the adhesives used. Otherwise adhesive agents might be rubber cements or nitrocellulose type cements with highly volatile solvents having proper penc trative properties for the paper sheets used and adequate shrinkage characteristics, or glue solutions whether or not of the type which is waterproof when set.

Of course any other'meansmay be employed for causing adhesion between the thin upper sheet 22 and portions of the ridges extending somewhat down the sides of the sloping walls 25 of the corrugated sheet, as might be effected by applying pressure for a suitable interval of 1 time through the medium of a tool having slightly concave areas to be presented along the attachment lines and roughly conforming with the curvature of the top portions of the ridges 24.

In other words it isimmaterial how theshallow valleys 30 areproduced, so long as-they appear in the product to an extent sufficient to perform the required, described functions.

Not only may small fruits such as grapes be successfully packed on cushions of this invention, but larger perishable produce such as peaches and tomatoes may also be packed thereon with considerable advantage. In such instances, the heavier articles tend at bearing points to make slight depressions in the ridge portions 24 so that adjacent upstanding ridge portions which remain will tend to reduce slippage laterally while other ridge portions 24 tend to reduce, slipping longitudinally of the packing box 13. Inall cases the efliciency of the present cushion is such that commonly the produce may be initially packed on a given cushion C'which will endure throughout subsequent, precooling,

storage, ship.ping,land display without significant.

spoilage and consequentloss. As indicated above, precooling takes place quickly by reasonof good ventilation through the holes 32, especially as assisted by the depending projections or tongues 35 or, 35a. Uniform gassing of fruits and the like to prevent molding also occurs because the de-= scribed arrangement of holes and tongues assures uniform travel through the box, Additionally, the amount of gas heretofore commonly required is reduced very greatly, for example to about one half or one third, and burning, by the gas of the upper fruit layers, also a common re: sult heretofore, is completely avoided. Inasmuch, as a second sheet 22 is not attached to the bottom ridges 34 of thecorrugated sheet 26, space required for storing and shipping cushions C of this invention may be cut substantially in half by inverting one cushion and nesting it in another,

as indicated in Fig. 5, Also, absence of vent holes nels of the corrugated sheet j andjis absorbed thereby. 1 a g In addition to the speciflclstructures herein dis- 71 closed,.-. it: is. intended: to -protect. all- .variations. falling within the,-.scop e.ofthe-patent claims.

I claim asmyi-nvention:

1. A ventilated fiber: packing cushion-for tpack-. ing perishable-fruits and. the like, consisting es? sentiall-y. of the combination. of; a corrugated lower-..-.fiberv lsheetz. providing on .its upper andv lower. sides alternating-grooves and ridges. which extend. across. the sheet in. one direction-onlyand incsubstantial. parallelism; and an upperfiber supportingsheet which, asv compared with the corrugated sheet, is relatively flat and has greaterfiexibilityand is.of.-lighterweight material, said. upper sheet being-cementedto; the ridges onthe; upperwsideof saidrlcorrugated sheet along. sub.-

stantially parallel. attachment lines of. appreciablezwidthso. that-the upper sheet is held-.down

a shortdistance. alongthe opposite sidesofeach ridge. .-and.-:adheres-; :thereto thereby producing: shallow valleys in the upper sheet in. overlying relation... to. the:.-respective groovesbelow while formingzunderlying air. channels in the respective-. gltoovespzsaid: upper; sheet having. a. plurality. of holesspunch'ed. in: the "bottomtof eachvalley for passageofair and: gas:( and. .for liquid. drainage; the punched 'sheetzportions atitheholes remain-e ingsattached-at the.-sides. of. the holes: and. de pending into the:v respective grooves tow form par-. tia'li obstructions generall-yflying along the axesofsuch .grooves'for. assisting movement of gases. and ventilating. air. through. said: holes; the cor.-'

ru'gated sheet: being. free from-perforations.- and. theigrooves onatheunderside ofsaid corrugated: sheet being unenclosed.

2 .A. ventilated fiber. packing: cushion including imcombinationz. a corrugated lower fiber sheet. presenting.;=alternating grooves .and ridges ex: tending-.ecross:saidisheet; and ;an upper. fiber; sheetacemented to. and. spanning. said. grooves-be-.- tweerr' said: ridges and. enclosing said grooves. to form; open-ended: ventilation channels. said upper sheetzbeing attached: to saidridges on.attachmenti lines of; appreciable; width whereby suclr attachment .=holds..portions of said upper sheetrat' the sidesof: each ridge down to: the cor:-' rugate'd sheet alongrthea opposite .sides of. the. ridges-thereby. forming in the uppersheet shallow valleys v.which overlie: the respective grooves and channels; said upper sheetv having a series of" spaced ventilating. holes in the. bottom of each valley, thecorruga'ted lower sheet being free. from perforations to provide .for drainage and dis'- charge at the ends of said channels, the" groovesand ridges in saidcorrugated sheet being rounded to provide broad bearing: lines-at the bottoms of the grooves and broad attachment linesat the ridges? 3'. A packing cushion as in claim? wherein material'of theupper'sheet displaced to form said hole'sremains'attached at the hole edges and depends intosaid grooves to form partial obstructions facilitating ventilation through said holes and through said open ended grooves.

4. In combination: a packing box. for perishablelproducehaving end walls, a bottom'wall secured to. said end walls, and. sidewalls secured to. said; end .wallsnwith the lower. edges. of .said sidewalls spacedisomewhat above the level. of the .upper faceof. said bottom wall .for. passage ofoair. into thebox above said bottom wall. and. below saidlower edges; and a ventilated fiber, packing cushion. disposed on said. bottom wall,- saidpacking cushion includinga corrugated lower fiber supporting sheet presenting alternating. up. pen: and. lower. grooves: :with -interveningrgupper ridges and.- .lowenridges, said. lower ridges .being. supp rted bysaid.cbottnmv wall,. and an.v upper. fiber: sheet on .saidupper .ridges. and spanning.

said upper. grooves, said upper. sheet havingshallow valleys disposed betweensaid uppenridgesand. overlying.- andspacedabove said lower ridges and. forming. elongated channels. in. said upper grooves, said upper sheet having in the bottoms. of' said shallow valleys aseries. of. ventilating. holes communicatingrwith said. channels, the. depths. of. said grooves beinggreater than the spacing ,of the. lower edgesrof' said side walls.

above the level of theupper-face: of. said bottom.

wall, whereby: *sandandliquid passingthrough saidholesinthe. bottoms of. said valleysmay be discharged fromsaid; channels and .from saidv box and ventilationmay-occur through. said; chan--. nels by way of said holes: and the spaces, at theav lower-edges of: said side walls; and; whereby; the lowertzportionsx of .said sidewalls retain-gsaid'.

packing'ccushion insaidzbox'.

5. A combination as in claim .14 whereinthea 7. A combination as in claim 4 wherein said.

corrugatedsheet is free from holes. r

8. A pair of nested fibercushions, eachcushion including: acorrugated fiben. sheet having the corrugations" exposed on one side; and an article-supportingsheet secured to the ridges'ofthe corrugations at theoth'er side ofsaid corrugated sheet, the portions of such supporting sheetbetween said ridges being in the shape of shallow valleys spaced from'the bottoms of the respective underlying grooves to form ventilating channels, the'middle portions of such valleys being provided with series of ventilation openings leading to said channels, and the exposed corrugations of the two corrugated'sheets being nested in unattached relation.

9. A structure as in claim 8 wherein the material of the supporting sheets displaced to formsaid openings remains attached at the sides of the respective openings and extends into said channels to obstruct the channels partially for assisting ventilation through said openings.

- 10. A ventilated fiber packing cushion including in combination: a corrugated bottom fibrous sheet Whichisstiff enough to support a body of perishable vegetable produce, said sheet'presenting a plurality of elongated" alternating grooves and ridges at its'upper side; and an upper fiber sheet secured to said upper ridges of said corrugated sheet and having 'formed in the upper side thereofshallow valleys'overlying said grooves to. receive and retard shift of small articles of produce-over the upper'edg'es of said valleys, said upper sheet being spaced-from the bottoms of said grooves andiiproviding :elongated channelsin such grooves :below the; respective overlying. shallow valleys, said. upper; sheet; being. provided: with .a plurality of ventilatinga opemngs in.the bottom ot each shallow valleyand in .communi-. cation with the. respective underlying channels 9 said ventilating openings being formed by partially punching out portions of said upper fiber sheet, punched portions remaining attached to said upper sheet at the sides of the respective openings and depending into the respective channels as partial obstructions to assist ventilation through said openings.

11. A ventilated fiber packing cushion including in combination: a corrugated fiber sheet having its corrugations exposed on one side; and an article-supporting fiber sheet secured to the ridges of the corrugations at the other side of said corrugated sheet to form elongated ventilating channels from the grooves of the corrugated sheet between the two sheets, said article-supporting sheet presenting elongated portions between the ridges to which it is secured, such elongated portions being provided with a series of ventilation openings leading to said channels, the

- 10 material of the supporting sheet displaced to form said openings remaining attached at the sides of the respective openings and extending into the respective channels to obstruct such channels partially for assisting ventilation through said openings.

SAMUEL B. STEVENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 239,159 Gaussen Mar. 22, 1881 1,684,556 Rosenberg Sept. 18, 1928 1,902,361 Hamersley Mar. 21, 1933 2,227,385 Benedict Dec. 31, 1940 2,229,743 Karcher Jan. 28, 1941 

